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Arlo and I walk side by side on the football oval during PE. Neither of us can be bothered running for football.
"So like, if there was a star named after me, i'd name him Jerry," Arlo states.
"Why would you name him Jerry?"
"Because it's a funny name." He giggles.
I nod.
It's been a week since Nellie came to my house. It's been a week since i found out about Arlo's assult. It's been a week since the bullying started.
I can't get a break from it. It's always happening and i don't know how it stop it. I don't know how to stop my thoughts. I don't know how much longer i can live this way.
"Do you want to sleep over tonight?" Arlo asks me with a smile.
I'm about to say yes before i hesitate, "Do you have a sister?"
His smile faults and his eyes go round and soft, "Uhm...no."
If he doesn't have a sister that lowers the chance of something bad happening to me.
"Yeah, i can stay over." I nod.
He smiles again and gives me a hug, "Let's go now and skip PE!"
"Okay."
He then starts to run back to his locker.
"Hey, i thought we weren't running!" I call as a smile spreads my lips.
He turns around and continues running backwards as he begins to giggle.
To no one's surprise, he trips over.
~~
"So this is my house." Arlo does a spin as i follow him inside.
I shrug off my backpack and shoes by the front door.
"I live alone, my parents moved out a few months ago." He tells me.
"So you just stay here by yourself?"
He nods, "Eva stays here a lot too."
I follow him upstairs as he opens a door, "That's the bathroom."
He then goes down to the end of the hall and opens another door. It's a bedroom, all pink, with a vanity too.
"That's my sisters room, you can't go in there."
"I thought you didn't have a sister?" I freeze.
I fucked up. I shouldn't of come. This is bad, very bad, so bad.
He turns around to me and closes the door with a sad look.
"I don't have a sister anymore."
Anymore?
"She um, she passed away about four years ago."
I swallow the lump in my throat, "I'm so sorry, man, that's horrible."
"It's okay."
He opens the door to his bedroom and his mood switches quickly back to normal.
"So this is my room, and you can stay in my bed with me if you like, and you can have any food from the kitchen downstairs. You can borrow anything you like from me, i don't mind." He smiles.
"Thank you." I sit down on his bed.
He flops down and begins rolling around.
I look at him with a half smile.
"My bed is soooo bouncy." He thrusts his hips making the bed squeak, "Woah that was highly inappropriate, only Eva should see that."
We both begin to laugh together before settling down as he puts on a movie and we order a pizza, eating.
It's nice being able to relax. His company isn't stressful, it's nice. I've never had friends like the this before.
"So what school did you used to go too?" He asks, eating another slice.
"Port Compus."
"Their basketball team is good." He nods.
I nod.
"Why'd you move?"
"Um-hm just went through shit."
"I'm here if you need to talk about something."
"Really?"
He smiles, "Yeah, of course."
"Thank you."
No one but Nellie has said that to me.
Arlo's phone begins ringing and he picks it up putting it on speaker.
It's Oakley and Nellie on the phone together.
"Stop fucking eating my food." Oakley groans.
"I'm hungry." Nellie sighs.
"Go get your own food."
My stomach hits at the tone of his voice talking to her that way. I don't care if he's joking, it doesn't make me feel okay.
Arlo giggles, "Come over, we've got pizza, we can order more."
"Let's watch horror movies!!" Oakley exclaims.
"Let's get everyone over to your place." Nellie says.
Arlo looks at me, "Is that okay?"
I nod. I'm starting to trust them.
I know i shouldn't. But i'm so lonely. I have no one else.
"Okay come over." Arlo smiles.
"See you soon!"
Arlo quickly goes to the bathroom and brushes his teeth, applying cologne and then sliding off his shirt.
I frown.
He smiles at me cheekily.
I think he's excited to see Eva.
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